As our daughter begins high school activities, we’ve started commuting. Until this point, school and shul have been directly across the street. An entirely new world of traffic, delays, angry drivers, and negotiating with the GPS has arrived.
When I mentioned the commute to a congregant, he wisely remarked, “Take advantage of the time with your daughter. Hold on tight.”
And in between the bumper-to-bumper Sigalerts, I’m trying to soak in the moments. Blasting the radio, singing off key, hearing tidbits of high school information, and getting glimpses of both child and mini adult wrapped into one.
Some of the greatest Torah lessons occur while stuck on the freeway. Deuteronomy 6:7 guides us, “You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them as you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down and when you rise.” In our miles on the road, there is sacred opportunity to strengthen connection, learn from and with my child, and soak up these little girl moments for as long as I can.
Torah learning and Torah living need not only occur in one place; each journey is meant to spark insight, meaning, and the opportunity to deepen bonds with those we love.
When taken with someone special, appreciate the commute. Teach them. Let them teach you. Hold on tight. One day, when we look back at the rides together, we’ll reflect how quickly the time went by.
Commutes we’d be willing to do over and over again.
Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Nicole Guzik is senior rabbi at Sinai Temple. She can be reached at her Facebook page at Rabbi Nicole Guzik or on Instagram @rabbiguzik. For more writings, visit Rabbi Guzik’s blog section from Sinai Temple’s website.
